Lionel Messi left Inter Miami's 6-4 rout of Philadelphia in the 73rd minute Sunday night, raising alarm bells for Argentina just three weeks before the World Cup begins. The substitution came without clear explanation and marked a rare early departure for the star midfielder.
What happened on the field offered mixed signals. Messi executed a free kick in the 68th minute and moments later completed a dribbling sequence with a through ball attempt, showing no visible discomfort. He then played at a slower pace before rolling up his shorts and gesturing toward the bench to be removed. When he left, he walked straight down the tunnel without obvious signs of distress on the broadcast.
Yet observers in the stadium reported seeing Messi holding his leg as he departed, a detail that didn't make it onto television coverage. Inter Miami head coach offered an initial assessment that fatigue and the heavy, rain-soaked pitch had prompted the decision, not injury. But that explanation rings hollow given Messi's track record. The 37-year-old has played full 90-minute matches in every Inter Miami game he has been available for this season and virtually every game last year when the club won the MLS Cup.
Being pulled mid-match for rest is not Messi's style, and the club had no medical report ready to clarify the situation. That leaves Argentina bracing for answers in the coming days. The timing could hardly be worse.
Argentina's World Cup campaign kicks off in 23 days against Algeria in Kansas City. The defending champions face friendlies against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9 before launching group play. Four matches follow: Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27, along with those earlier tests.
Messi has been prolific for Miami this season with 12 goals and seven assists across 14 appearances. Yet even entering this tournament, he signaled uncertainty about whether he would be fit enough to contribute at the highest level. In a 2025 interview, he told NBC he would assess his readiness day-by-day and make a decision based on whether he could perform at full strength.
"I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my team, if I am there," Messi said. "I'm going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful and then make a decision."
Those measured words now carry extra weight. Argentina leans heavily on Messi's presence and performance as it pursues back-to-back World Cups. A hamstring issue, muscle tightness, or any soft tissue injury at his age demands careful management. The next 48 to 72 hours will tell whether Miami's medical team declares him fine for training or whether precautions become necessary.
Author James Rodriguez: "Messi's exit feels like a warning flag wrapped in uncertainty, and Argentina cannot afford to guess about his status this close to the tournament."
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